The Lady Vs The Black Sheep

You had shaken off the strange lurking feeling inside that some kind of ghost had come, washed away with a gin and coke or five (Hey what could you say, Vampiric metabolism was a bitch) and Now you sat with the girls who were laughing swapping stories, the booze loosening everyone up a bit when--just in the nick of time

*Knock-Knock-Knock*

You grinned, the girls turning in suspense as You lent over the couch towards the door and called simple "Come in!"

The Doors to the Cave did not swing open but gently cracked ajar, where a Long bat-like mask, masterfully carved and slightly scary, furtively peeked through.

"Camezotz?" Cleo said, looking at you in confusion.

"Camie-what?" Belle said confusedly.

You peeked at the mask that looked out to you, and smiled, your arm waving in a beckon to call her over "Come in, come on." Your voice was soft encouraging as You sat up to look at everyone "Try not to be too loud." You warned, turning to see the Small figure beside you, her Bat-Mask staring without eyes down at You, in complete silence.

Standing, you held your arms out to the Vampire, in her long trench coat and strange ear plates "Diana, Belle, this is Camezotz, she is a Nox, I don't believe you've had the pleasure. Mina, Clo, you know Cammie." The Feline girl and the Gothic beauty looked at each other before standing up.

"Right, yeah, hello, Cammie," Cleo said, offering a hand that Cemtotz took so softly that her bandaged hand barely actually touched her palm.

"Cammie!" Namina grinned. Cammie adjusted her plates, but leant forward, touching Namina's arm tenderly as the cat woman smiled apologetically "Sorry. I'll try to be quieter." Mina whispered, Cammie, standing in ominous motionless as her mask faced you.

Smiling as encouragingly as You could, you got up, looking down at Camezotz with a confident gaze "Cammie... how would you like to spend this lovely evening playing a combination of Spin the Bottle and Truth or dare with us?"

Cammie stared unmoving and unspeaking for a time, before zipping towards the door at a blinding pace. Cracking through the air, you shot across the room quickly closing the pace between you and the Masked woman as You splayed your arms upon the doors of the cave as Cammie halted just before you, looking between the couch and back to you in apparent confusion, "Hey, easy, wow you're fast." You said with a smile, the masked woman crossing her arms as she turned her head away.

"Come on Cammie... I know we haven't had much opportunity to hang out... and I've been thinking about you since you turned up at the funeral..." her Wooden face slipped towards you slightly, staring blankly as you held your hands out bracingly "Please don't blow my head off with your high-pitch-power thingy, just hear me out, okay?"

Holding her stance for a moment, Cammie placed her hands on her hips, the expressionless look of her mask confusing you "So... you're listening right?" You asked. Her head bobbed in a slow nod, the shiny wood of her mask glistening as she did "Alright, cool. This must hurt for you, like a lot, and I can tell that you aren't very sociable but... I want to get to know you, and hey the more time I spend with you, the closer we might get to dulling your senses a little eh? What do you say?" It was a long shot, hell you'd only ever seen her face once, heard her speak once, you were shooting in the dark here, but you had a feeling that this was a lady that you needed to stick close too, even among her ilk she was unique.

Cammie's shoulder's relaxed, standing straight and giving you a respectful bow as she turned and walked towards the group.

Smiling proudly, you walked over to join Camezotz who had placed herself at the furthest part of the couch from Diana, the Masked woman jolting slightly as you placed yourself down next to her, even though you did so with the utmost care. "So ladies. Just some forewarning, Cammie here is a Blind Vampire, so her senses are super powerful, basically, we need to be careful not to hurt her, alright?"

Everyone looked at the Masked Woman, who shrunk into the corner of the couch like a nervous school girl. "I don't see why we can't be a little quieter, right Belle?" Diana shot a warning glance at Belle, who frowned.

"I am not that loud!" Cammie shrunk back again, adjusting her ear plates as Belle waved apologetically, l9owering her voice "Oh no, I'm so sorry, I can quite, it this volume okay?"

Cammie raised a halting finger, messing around with her dials for a moment, she then flapped her fingers about in a talking volume "You want me to talk?" Belle asked quietly.

"She's adjusting her hearing, those plates drown out a lot of noise, she just has to adjust them, right Cammie?" Namina said, Cammie, nodding in response.

Belle nodded her brown head "Oh right, well should I just keep talking until you say stop?"

Cammie nodded again, twisting and turning her dials as Belle began to speak a bunch of nonsense, mostly about clothes, you blocked it out, paying attention to Cammie instead as she adjusted her hearing plates, her small but seemingly simple form contracted by her thick coat and tightly wound bandages, she was naturally hard to read considering you couldn't see her expression, you had to really focus on her physical movements, the way she gently swayed in discomfort, or her tightly constricted posture that displayed her shyness.

She gave a thumbs-up, relaxing her shoulders a little as her wooden face looked around, though Belle, of course, kept talking.

"I think you can stop now, Airhead," Cleo grumbled, Belle frowning deeply as she clamped her mouth closed and crossed her arms, glaring at The Raven haired goth, like she was about to pounce.

"Can you two knock it off? I don't know what Your problem is Cleo but it ends here." You spoke sternly, real irritation sweeping through you.

Cleo turned her eyes away, her face turning sour as You cleared some space on the coffee table, placing the now empty bottle of Gin in its centre. You were curious about Claudia's animosity, but you were sure that this game would give you ample opportunity to feed that curiosity.

"Okay, here's the rules..." You started.

Namina grimaced "Why do you get to make the rules? I wanted to make the rules!" She complained childishly.

Everybody looked at her like she was crazy (Accept for Cammie), including you, tapping the luminescent Lord's locket around your neck. Namina blinked nodded as she chuckled "Right... Lord of the Nox, My bad"

You continued "Okay... again, here's the rules. We go around in circle spinning the bottle, whoever it lands on has to be Truth or dared, no evasions, no prejudice, pure chance. Also, we are going to use our actual Mortal names, that doesn't really apply to some of us but, equal ground and all that. What d'ya say?"

There was a collective pause, Your spider senses were tingling.

Wow... They looked spooked hehe.

"Come on, come ooooon, take the challenge girls."

You realised asking this particular group to take a risk on breaking down the sacred undead barriers of privacy might have been a bit to ask... but with a unanimous look of deer in headlights, was also a fire, a fire that only these girls could have, excluding Cammie of course who's expression showed a visible indifference.

Diana was the first to crack, naturally "Alright, if you ladies aren't man enough, I'll start. Let's do this." Didi gave them all a wide smile, that made Belle sit straight, her arms crossing.

"I'm game, I haven't played either of these since I was in private school." Wow, subtle flex Belle. but that seemed to set Namina off.

"Well if Richie-Rachel over here is game, then so am I!" The Feline spoke determinately, swishing her dark hair and straightening herself.

Cleo frowned, her lips pressing together under yours and the other Girls gaze, her resolve hardening under the expectant eyes as she crossed her wispy legs.

"Come on, Clo... for me?" You muttered, putting on a cute face. Cleo looked into your puppy dog eyes, her resolve splitting into cracks, her will-power crumbling into dust under your unwavering adorability.

"Ugh. Fine." She grumbled.

"Yes!" Fist pumping was a totally an adult thing to do, shut up.

Cammie sat motionless beside you, but looked up to find your boyish grin. "Cammie?" You asked gently.

The Masked woman, took her time in answering again, her discomfort quite apparent, but much to your surprise, she nodded.

Diana grinned "I think we're gonna need more booze."

Naturally, since this was mostly your idea, you were the fearless leader and because the other's refused, You went first, grasping the bottle with your powerful hands, the muscles in your fingers flex and you bolted the Bottle into an insane spinning blur that twirled endlessly... like for real endlessly... this thing wasn't stopping.

Chuckling nervously, you caught it, giving it a little less zest this time and watching as the bottle spun at a less and more manageable speed, the nose of the glinting gin bottle drawing slower, slower... slooowwwerr...

"Please be, Cammie, Please be Cammie, Please be Cammie."

...Until it finally stopped.

"Hmmm I'll take that."

You grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes "Okay, Claudia. Truth or Dare?"

Namina exploded "OMG Cleo your name is Claudia! that is such a cute name!!"

Belle nodded, grinning evilly "Such a cute name."

Narrowing her eyes, Claudia gritted her teeth "Truth." She muttered.

"Lame!" Diana cried.

You silenced her with a gesture "No Truth shaming Didi.... Alright... Hmmm, Ah here's a question." this was gonna be great, your eyes flashed with excitement "What is the most embarrassing thing that You have ever, done?"

Silence...

Claudia pushed a hair out of her face, looking you stone cold in the face and without hesitation said "I tried it on with King Henry the 8th... and was rejected. My turn." Cleo reached forward, her wrist being caught in the snare of your fingers.

Her dark head peeked up, meeting a collection of eyes burning with fascination. "You can't just name drop Henry the 8th... why did you name drop Henry the 8th like you knew him?" You whispered.

Claudia nodded "Because I did know him, and I tried to have sex with him... and I failed."

Belle lent forward, mouth partly agape "Explain. Explain."

The Goth sat back, shrugging "I don't know, it was a long time ago... It was somewhere in between Anne Boleyn getting her head lobbed off..... and Catherine of Aragon, Henry was already a bloodthirsty, deluded moron everybody knew that, but he was really losing it by then, He used to have all these secret parties, filled with lustful nobleman and... well seamstresses... Seamstresses that had been sent by their master to retrieve king's blood."

In a Daze, you all just sat in shock "S-So... Corvus... wanted king's blood, and sent you to get it?" Belle asked.

"Urantus, not Corvus, and yes... Velka and I." She said, leaning down for the Bottle again as she twisted it into a moderate spin.

Diana grimaced "What!? No way you can just leave it at that, Why did He want King's blood!? Why did He turn you down!?" Your sister cried.

Cleo grinned at her "I suppose you will just have to spin for me and find out."

Everyone erupted into pained groans, Cammie's face was looking at Cleo, a quiet mumbling under the moaning. The gentle sound just about caught on your ears, and your head snapped to the Mask woman.

"Hey... Hey! Shut up, shut up, Cammie said something." You hushed the girls who looked to Camezotz expectantly, though with all the eyes on her she seemed to shrink a little. "Hey... it's alright, go on, say what you were going to say."

Cammie pointed to the bottle, who's nose was pointing at her, the terrifying visage of her mask pointing to the Gothic beauty "...D-Dare." She whispered.

Wow... bold, you really didn't expect that.

Cleo blinked "Seriously?"

Cammie nodded "Yes."

"That's the first time I have ever heard her speak..." Namina whispered. Cammie looked right at her, making the Feline flush "Right... super hearing, sorry Cammie."

The Masked woman shrugged.

"Dare huh... well that one is easy..." Cleo said, relaxing back into the chair "Show us your face."

You glared "Cleo-" Your insides flamed, what was her problem?

"No. Elevations... Lord Nox."

You were about ready to start a ruckus, the Booze barely soothing the writhing chaos snaking through your guts... but a bandaged hand softened your ire.

Cammie reached up, unclasping her wooden mask carefully and placing it on her lap, her bandaged face already slowly being unwound with sure fingers, You had already seen Cammie's face, but even the second time it felt like something sacred was being unravelled.

One by one, an Ivory hair popped free, streaking out into a wild mane as her white eyebrows flared and her blank, glazed over eyes peeked free.

Namina gasped girlishly as Cammie peeled the last of her bandages away, her dark lips pouting nervously. "Cammie... you're so pretty... and Young!" Mina cried.

"Yeah... I always thought you were old, you walk around like a pensioner." Cleo said as she sipped her drink.

Cammie looked off into nothing, her shoulders falling inwards shyly "Th-Thank you..." she winced as she spoke.

"Are you okay? you look like your being flash banged?" Diana asked.

"Voice... loud... it hurts... to speak." Cammie frowned sadly, and you saw that Drake-fire in your sister's golden eyes.

"You know what... I think I might be able to make something for that, Hold on." Bouncing off of the couch and nearly spilling her drink in turn, Diana rushed off to the kitchen, Belle calling after her.

"What about the Game?"

"Just spin, I won't be long!" Didi nearly tripped as she kicked away her shoes, chuckling and smiling. You smiled shaking your head at the sorry sight.

"That's what I get for letting her drink again."

Cammie did not touch the bottle to spin it... She puckered her full lips and let out a jetting sharp whistle that shot out like a focused bullet, launching the glass bottle into a gentle spin. You smiled, that was never not gonna be awesome, the girl's seemed to think so too, watching with wonder as the bottle started to slow.

"Holy shit..." Belle said, smiling at Cammie who smiled slightly as she flushed shyly.

"You think that's insane, you should see her blow off someone's head!" Namina said with a joyful laugh.

Camezotz fiddled with her bandaged fingers "I haven't... done that... in a long time." her whisper was the furthest from pride, her entire posture was shy and quiet in more ways than vocal, but that hidden explosive power that she held inside, and that Beauty... it cried forbidden fruit to you, and it was oddly... stimulating.

Your watching of Cammie made you nearly miss who the Bottle had landed on... Belle

Cammie faced you, but her eyes looked just to your left "Who?" She asked

"Belle." The Brunette said, giving Cammie a wave before realising that it couldn't really be seen and quickly put it down.

"...Newblood..." Cammie whispered, fiddling with her fingers and putting on a conflicted face "I.... am not sure... what to ask..."

"Oh don't worry, Cammie, I'm not easily offended, can I call you Cammie?" Belle said, girlishly smiling.

"Y-Yes... Okay... Do you... miss... being.... human?" She really struggled to get that one out, it was two kinds of pain you could tell, the pain of that deafening sound of her own voice and the pain of asking what might be an invasive question to someone that You don't know... hey you were shy once, and may you never be again.

Cheers to that.

But Belle considered the question thoroughly, letting it mull over her mind as she tried to find the words on her tongue. "I... I guess, no... not really. I don't know if it is because of the curse or if I am just darker but... I care about a lot less now, all those little things I used to obsess over, like my looks or my family, they are inconsequential now... but then again, I don't think that's just the curse that keeps me away from those worries."

Isabelle's soft brown eyes settled on you, lovingly, caringly, though she refocused "Though there are little things I guess, like breathing, I really miss breathing, and My heart drumming, You can't really appreciate it until it's gone... oh and taking a really, really nice shit. I miss that."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

"LIES"

You grimaced as the other girls nodded in agreement, Namina letting out a nostalgic sigh and Cammie nodding quietly, You clapping your hands over your ears and yelling "GIRLS DO NOT POOP!"

They laughed at your pain, these were not your desirable girlies, this were queens of deceit that sat on a throne of lies "oh we definitely do. *Sigh* I do miss a good long poop." Mina lamented as You covered your ears and shook your head, though you enhanced hearing proved to pick up everything as You cried out.

"no no no no lalalalala."

Belle spun next... though not without accidentally putting a crack in it with her powerful fingers. After a groan from Cleo and encouragement from the others, the Brunette had managed to launch the bottle into a gentle spin, that wound down as it screeched into a sudden halt... on You.

Belle burst into giggles, clapping her hands excitedly "I got Master! Yaaaay! now I can dare-" Belle's alluring stare and the lustful tone were cut off quickly by you.

"Truth."

Isabelle was not the only one to look disappointed as You grinned "Oh don't look at me like that... we've only just started, there will be time for filth on another spin, I promise..." Diana and Belle looked particularly vexed. You folded your arms "come on... I'm not just a pole you can jump on you know, I am a sensitive boy who yearns to be understood!" Maybe if you didn't say that with such drama they might have bought it, but Belle stared quizzically before nodding to herself.

"Well alright. Here's a question, What are your plans for the future?" The Brunette asked.

You'd never seen a group of women all lean in collectively before, looking and listening keenly respectively, peering curiously and catching you a little off guard "Oh? well umm..."

You hadn't really thought about the future.... Valerica had to go sure, and Wallace was now a great conquest for you... but what beyond that? all you could think to say was the truth, and maybe something from before.

"I... uh, I am not sure, I mean, after Valerica is dealt with... and we establish this city as a haven... well I don't know?" It was a daunting thing, thinking about the future while undead, being human grants you the unknown security of having a rough idea when your shell would expire but, now this road went on forever, and you couldn't see past the steering wheel.

Diana's hand felt at your arm, plopping herself beside you and smelling faintly of herbs as your sister leaning into you as she smiled "You used to want to be a musician, right?"

...Wow... that is a dream long forgotten.

"Yeah... that all felt like so long ago"

"Seriously?" Mina asked in wonder "What instrument do you play?" She asked.

You shrugged "Instrument? it's more plural, I play a little guitar, bass, piano used to play some Cello, My grandpa always had me singing though."

"OMG, You can sing!" Belle cried "YOU HAVE TO SING US SOMETHING!!!" She demanded.

Scratching your head, you flushed "I... I don't know, I get pretty nervous with an audience... and when I don't have ab instrument."

Diana grinned that Drake-grin of hers, leaning over to her purse and brandishing it to display the circular blood rune on its face "I'm nothing less than a swiss army Diana today." reaching elbow deep into her purse, Diana grasped at something, grunting as she tugged out the neck of her Black acoustic guitar who's body shone in the light as Didi flipped it around with ease, and handed it expectantly at You.

You frowned shyly "When did Rose, put that bottomless rune on your purse?"

Diana held it out insistently "Actually it was Rudy, she is quite nice once you get her to focus on not eating you. Come on, no more stalling and sing us a nice song, attaboy." Didi shoved the guitar into you, and you took it a little unnerved by all the eyes on you.

"Jeez... I haven't sung in front of anyone but my family in... well ever... w-what do I sing?"

The Girl's waited patiently as You jumbled nervously to tune the guitar, carefully checking the notes as You mulled over options in your head... and a face came to mind, red of hair and barely able to kiss you... and you didn't even know why...

Grief and Fear are useful tools. and boy are we practiced...

"...Shut up, Beast... just shut up..."

Plucking lightly on the thin strings with your powerful but graceful fingers, you found your old familiarity rushing in a fierce nostalgia, and any doubt about your ability to play after such a long time, the rhythm spurring you into the words.

"The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold..."

Namina's jaw fell open, and seemed to not want to close again, Belle classped her hands to her mouth in shock, Cleo lent forward listening keenly, Cammie reached up and adjusted her dails so that she could let more of your voice in and smiled gently, and Diana simply grinned, fondly enjoying your voice.

"Since you went away, the days grow long
And soon I'll hear... Old winter's song..."

The Girls look of amazement slowly faded, replaced with a slight concern, as sadness lingered on your face, with that red haired girl still on your mind.

"But I miss you most of all, My darling
When autumn leaves... Start to fall."

You felt Diana hold your arm tightly, her sad smile looking up at you through her drunken haze "You okay?"

You nodded as Belle lent over to take your hand, sniffing back crimson tears as her lip quivered "That fucking beautiful." She whispered.

"You can't just hide that shit from a girl, Boss!" Mina cried. Cammie nodded in agreement and Cleo too as she sipped her drink in a very ladylike way, shooting you a challenging look.

"That was for the Inquisitor wasn't it?" The Gothic beauty asked, You didn't answer "There is something wrong with that woman... she has been acting strange... and you obviously love her the most out of all of us."

"Cleo!" Namina nudged the Goth irritatedly, but they all knew the truth of it.

"Oh don't pretend like it isn't true, he doesn't look at us like he looks at her..." Cleo's voice wasn't accusitory or even angry, it was blunt "That doesn't bother me, I understand how that feels, but you should do something about it, instead of sulking."

You looked Cleo in her eyes, opening your mouth to speak.... but no words came out.

Laughing on the outside, crying on the inside, because I'm sooo in love with-

"SHUT. UP."

Feeling the writhing feeling inside grow, you gritted your teeth, gulping down your drink and reaching down to spin the bottled silently, the air was tense as you halted the bottle in front of Cleo, the shadows inside seeping into you blood and making it bitter.

Cleo blinked "Hey... that's against the rules..."

"I dare you to tell me what your problem is with Belle." You whispered spitefully, your gaze never breaking from the goth as she went to protest _"Tell me." _You commanded lowly.

Cleo's eyes twitched as words bumbled out of her mouth "Because You deserve better than some spoilt floozy!" Clapping her claws over her mouth, Cleo looked wide-eyed at Belle who scowled.

"WHAT!? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" She roared, but Cleo flushed reaching for the bottle only to have her hand slapped away. "No no no no you don't, you better elaborate on that subject, you Emo scum!" The Brunette cried dramatically.

"Ladies... let's stay civil..." Diana muttered, but it was too late.

"You know what fine, you wanna know what my problem is, he is Lord of the Nox, leader of a soon to be great clan, and you drag him around, buttering him up with your polished little fingernails all over him and get him into trouble, do you have ANY idea the responsibilities a Great Vampire Lord has on their shoulders, let alone one who has little to no experience, but no prissy little Isabelle wants her Boyfriend to go and nearly kill a mansion full of humans, humans, that are her own family!" Cleo ranted as Belle darkened, her eyes flashing and pointing her taloned finger at Cleo.

"You're one to talk, lazing around and doing nothing all day except for looking grumpy and putting everybody down! He is my boyfriend too you know, if He wants to _CHOOSE _to help me with my problems then that's his decision, which is probably more appealing than some moping ex-victorian THOT that lurks around here instead of making an effort to help fix the mansion!!!" Belle screamed in response, her thick eyelashes batting and her face twisting angrily.

Cleo stood up to meet Belle, the hostility palpable "TUDOR, it's Tudor you uneducated hussy, lord knows how you even think with all of your IQ draining into those stretch mark covered melons you call breasts, you probably use all of your brainpower just carrying them around!"

This was getting out of control, Namina held Cleo back and Diana was trying and failing to stop Belle flailing her arms around as they argued. "Girls! Girls! that's enough!" You cried, but they were hearing it... damn you needed to get a better grasp on this storm inside, if this continued then your entire clan will be in tatters.

"MY TITS ARE PERFECT, YOU CUNT!" Belle roared while madly clutching her DDs "BETTER THAN THAT SCARRED CHOPPING BOARD YOU CALL A BUST!"

"PFFFFT THAT'S RICH COMING FROM AN AIRHEAD LIKE YOU WITH MONKEY SIZED EARS!" Cleo spat, making Namina gasp.

"Clo! bellow the belt!" Mina protested, but Belle spat back.

"YOU'RE JUST A HOT-TOPIC MASCOT REJECT THAT IS INSECURE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T PLEASE HER MASTER, I'D EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM A WASHED UP HAS-BEEN IN BLACK MAKE-UP, GUESS WHAT THE ADDAMS FAMILY CALLED, THEY WANT THEIR YEARLY CHARITY APPAREL DONATION BACK!" the Brunnet roared.

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOH LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!

"We have to stop this, will you chill out so I can think!?"

Don't look at me, all this monstrosity is you, I'm not in control!

"Alright... alright... okay... just breathe Charlie, think... think..."

You racked your brain for a solution to end this coming cat-fight, You couldn't mesmerise them right now, your powers were out of control, you'd probably just make it worse... and you couldn't just shout they wouldn't listen, damn if these two powerful vampires clashed then they'd tare the roof off, they would sing of this battle for ages.... fuck you're really at a bottleneck here.

Wait...

Song...

Bottle...

...is this seriously your idea? really? oh god, we are an idiot...